“Where did you get your passion for this cause?”
Great question. Like a lot of mission commitments, our involvement with the kids at the HOME OF HOPE has a back story that starts with a tug on the heart strings.
In 2012 Becky and I did a bike tour from Cincinnati to Washington DC to benefit International Justice Mission. Before we began we knew very little about human trafficking or modern-day slavery. Honestly (and sadly) I believed slavery, at least in America, ended with the Civil War.
Our visit to the Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati shocked my middle-American awareness. As we traced the history of slavery from ancient to present, I slowly began to comprehend the depth of this modern human atrocity. Children for sale, women forced into lives of horrific degradation, entire families coerced into bondage–these images were seared into my consciousness.
Once you know, you can’t un-know. Once you see, you can’t un-see. Fueled by feelings of passion, and a fair amount of anger on my part, Becky and I were certain we had to take action.
Passionate feelings about injustice can take two directions.
Passion might boil over into hatred and a demand for vengeance. This is the path of violence, divisiveness, retaliation, the path of endless reaction, endless fear, endless conflict. This path leads to resentment, bitterness, and indignation.
Passion might lead to a decision to love and seek justice. This is the long game, the path that seeks peace and reconciliation while working to set things right. This sort of passion is a commitment, a choice to act regardless of feelings.
We’re passionate about supporting the kids at the HOME OF HOPE because we made a commitment to them. We know our efforts make a difference because we see these children living and growing in HOPE and FREEDOM. We see them studying for final exams and dancing in church productions.
Of course those images make us feel all warm and fuzzy, but warm-and-fuzzy doesn’t sustain the long-term effort. In the end it’s a commitment, a decision to seek justice, to help set things right for this group of children. That’s what keeps you going when you’re tired, when you don’t get the positive feedback, when it feels like things aren’t progressing and you’d be better off just writing a check and going to the beach. We decided to love these kids.
That’s where the passion comes from.
A wonderful community has surrounded the kids at the HOME OF HOPE. Want to join us?
There are lots of ways to get involved in the FREEDOM TOUR. There’s the week-long tour, a couple of one-day rides, and even a design-your-own challenge option. You can cycle, volunteer, or donate to support a rider.
Check out our website and find your passion.
There’s no limit to what can be accomplished by a group of committed, passionate people when they work together and trust God for the outcome.